


The Waiting Room

by Wot_In_Quiznack



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Angst, Coma, F/M, Feels, Gen, Matter of Life and Death, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-28 20:41:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18763840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wot_In_Quiznack/pseuds/Wot_In_Quiznack
Summary: “So?” Sora let his eyes fall briefly, “...What are you gonna do about it?”“I’m gonna challenge you.” Riku looked down at him, his sly grin lingering, “Tonight, you are going to confess to Kairi. You will tell her you love her.”...If only Sora had had the chance to do so.





	1. Chapter 1

“Okay, Sora. You’re gonna do this. No backing down now.”

In the confines of a small bathroom, a young boy stared at his reflection in a crystalline mirror. His hands tightly gripped the sides of a white sink situated under the looking glass. He leaned into himself. His blue eyes narrowed as he repeated those words - the same phrases he had been uttering for weeks on end.

“You’re going to confess. You’re going to tell her.”

The boy spoke with an outward hostility - as though he was frustrated with himself for not having the will to do something as simple as talking to a girl. 

But this wasn’t just any girl. This was the girl. The girl whose voice was like the sweetest melody he had ever heard. The girl who always had a way to make him smile - and whose own smiles shone brighter than a thousand suns. The girl with crystal blue eyes that could make even the bluest day fail in comparison. 

“Crush” would have underestimated his feelings toward her. It was such an infantile phrase used by middle school kids who had no idea what true love was. It seemed so blunt. So fake. So…deprecating. 

No, Sora held something for this girl that was worth so much more than a simple crush. He’d admired girls in the past, but none captivated him as much as this one had. None had gentle gazes that made him want to melt into a puddle the way hers did. 

Oh no, this was definitely not a crush. This was an adoring passion. He wanted to protect her. He wanted to be her missing piece. He wanted to give her the world. He wanted nothing more than to run away with her and forget reality.

If only he could first work up the damn courage to tell her.

“Hello! Is anyone in there??”

Suddenly, a second voice and a raucous knock interrupted Sora’s infatuated train of thought. His eyes widened when he realized he must have spent more time daydreaming in the bathroom than he had intended. He quickly reached over to the nearby toilet and flushed it.

“Yes??” He responded, pretending to scrub his hands under a running faucet.

The person behind the door let out a snickering laugh. Sora rolled his eyes. He knew that chortle from anywhere. He dried his hands and opened the door, coming face to chest with a slightly intoxicated red-headed man. 

“Sora!!” He grinned heartily, “How in the world did I know that I’d find you spending the night in the lavatory?”

As he spoke, Sora felt chills crawl up his spine. He had never taken kindly to alcohol, and his breath reeked of it. Still, he forced a slight grin and pushed his “bathroom session” to the back of his mind.

“Hey, Axel.” Sora replied, though his response was less enthusiastic than he meant it to be.

The man tilted his head for a brief moment, suddenly eyeing Sora - Like he knew the boy had something to hide. He took a quick swig from what Sora assumed was beer and leaned into his face, placing his free hand on his hip.

“...What?” Sora leaned back, raising an eyebrow.

“Something tells me you didn’t spend the last 10 minutes doing nothing but using the bathroom.” Axel briefly responded, straightening himself up and taking one more sip of his drink, “What were you doing in there?”

“What are you even talking about?” Sora laughed nervously, sidling around him and making his way to a table that had been covered in chips, dip, snacks, and food. He shrugged and shook his head, “Look, I just ate some food that didn’t agree with me, okay? That’s it.”

“...Bull shit.” Axel breathed, his voice barely audible to the exiting boy.

“Well, look who decided to emerge from the safety of his little lions’ den?”

A group of other party-goers had since gathered at the snack bar, where small foods had been arranged in various platters and bowls. A blonde boy in shorts and a vest waved at him from where he stood gorging himself on chips.

“Hey, Tidus.” Sora waved awkwardly in return, his previous embarrassment still lingering, “Hey, guys.”

Sora briefly scanned the small group that found their place among the edibles. His eyes suddenly caught the turquoise gaze of a silver-haired friend of his. The boy had been sipping from his own drink when he shot Sora a playful look. He knew when his friend had something on his mind.

Still, he pretended to shrug it off. He sighed to himself and slowly shook his head.

“Sora, I know Vanitas doesn’t throw the best parties,” Riku leaned back onto the table, careful not to disturb the snacks, “...But why in the world would you spend it all in the bathroom?”

“Yeah! You’re here at one of the biggest parties of the year!” A brunette girl in a yellow jumper skipped up to Sora. Her name was Selfie - and she obviously a bit buzzed herself, “The least you could do is hang out with us wallflowers.”

“She’s right, ya know.” Tidus piped up again - Now, his mouth was filled with sponge-like baked goodies, “Besides, they’ve got some of the most delicious party food I’ve ever had! I mean, just try one of these Paopu Cupcakes!”

Tidus tried to push a small cupcake into Sora’s hands, but Sora only pushed it back and shook his head.

“Nah, I’m okay.” He briefly responded, “I’m not very hungry right now.”

There was a playful gasp from another young man. He had orange hair with a bandanna around his head. He laughed.

“Sora refusing the offer of free food??” He walked over to the table, playfully nudging Sora as he went, “Now, that’s definitely not something you see every day.”

Sora rolled his eyes. He already had enough to think about with his conflicted plans with Kairi. Even if it was out of harmless fun, he did not want to have to deal with this group making fun of him for refusing a cupcake. He crossed his arms, to which Selphie only tilted her head.

“Huh. He’s not taking very kindly to our shenanigans.” She tapped her chin, “But you always seem so upbeat and carefree!”

“Yeah, what gives?” Tidus grabbed another cupcake from the platter before shoving it into his mouth, “You’re never this dismissive or closed off.”

Sora went quiet for a moment. His eyes trailed back up to the gaze of the silver-haired boy again. He’d been standing silently, patiently waiting for an answer that he likely didn’t even need. After a brief second of silence, Sora shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t know, I’ve just got a lot of stuff on my mind.” He turned back to them, putting on a rather transparent facade of makeshift careless, “I mean… I could be doing much better things right now. But I’m here.”

“Much better things?” Wakka echoed, his eyes widening in disbelief, “What do you mean? Is this party so boring that it’s not worth your time?”

“So what if it is?” Sora simply replied.

Suddenly, there was movement from the other side of the table. The silver-haired boy’s eyebrows raised when he heard his friend say this. He let out a low breath and leaned back before taking one final sip of his drink. He crumpled it up and tossed it aside as he stalked toward Sora in a playfully mischievous manner.

He stood before Sora, his arms crossed and his chin lowered. Sora had to practically lift his chin just to meet his turquoise gaze. The boy pursed his lips and puffed out his chest as though silently challenging Sora.

“Okay, big boy.” He muttered teasingly, ignoring the excited reactions of the wallflowers behind them, “If this party is so boring for you, I’m going to spice things up a little.”

A scattered chorus of quiet hoots came from the group behind them. Sora ignored them and refused to tear his eyes from Riku. He knew Riku didn’t mean any harm - he never did. But he still refused to crack. Instead, he decided to amuse him. It would surely be much more interesting than doing nothing in a bathroom.

“Oh?” He simply responded, “And how do you plan to accomplish that?”

“Simple.” Riku shrugged, glancing up at a particular red-haired girl who danced with her friends on the patio, “Everyone knows that you have the hots for Kairi. You just don’t have the balls to tell her.”

Sora bit the inside of his cheek. Even if the comment was true - and it had come from his playful best friend - it was still emasculating to hear from someone other than himself. And the hoots and hollers from the snack table were not making things any better.

“So.” Sora let his eyes fall briefly, “...What are you gonna do about it?”

“I’m gonna challenge you.” Riku looked down at him, his sly grin lingering, “Tonight, you, my friend, are going to confess to her. You will tell her you love her.”

Sora’s heart sunk to his stomach. He bit down harder on his cheek when he heard the snack-table group cry out again. He had to physically resist throwing something at them. But even so, Sora didn’t let himself crack.

“...And what if I don’t?” Sora blinked, now drawing blood from how harshly he bit down on his cheek.

“If you don’t, I’ll do it myself.” Riku leaned back, picking his chin up slightly, “First thing in the morning, if I don’t see the two of you making it work, I will steal your thunder and confess to her.”

At this point, the noise from the snack-table had garnered enough attention from the surrounding party-goers who had begun to tune in on what was transpiring. Sora’s entire facade suddenly dropped; he stared up at Riku and let his crossed arms drop to his sides. A loud laugh could be heard from the party’s host, who lifted his cup in Sora’s direction.

“I could booze her up for you if you’d like!” He taunted the boy, receiving a light slap on the back of the head from his blonde friend.

“Shut up, Vanitas.” His friend muttered, taking no notice to the raucous laughter that sounded in response to the senseless joke.

While the group continued to reel behind them, Sora harshly grabbed Riku’s wrist and pulled him aside into a corner.

“Are you serious??” He harshly whispered, fighting the urge to slap him, “Right now? In front of all these people??”

“Sora, you’re my best friend and I would do anything for you. But let’s be honest.” Riku shrugged and lightly pressed a finger into Sora’s chest, “You obviously don’t have the confidence to tell Kairi you like her on your own. So I’m gonna make you. I’m gonna give you that push you need.”

“Yeah. But in the middle of this massive high school party?” Sora placed a hand on his hips, apparently unhappy, “Are you insane?!”

“I never said that.” Riku shook his head, “I’m not making you do it now. I’m not even making you do it at this party. You just have to do it tonight.”

Riku let his eyes linger in the direction of the concrete patio outside. There, a large group had gathered to dance to music that played from a stereo system set up outside of the door. His eyes automatically fell upon the form of a specific red-haired girl who had been dancing with a small group of friends. They all seemed just about as buzzed as she was.

He laughed to himself when he saw her eyes sparkle. Riku turned back to the unimpressed Sora and subtly pointed in her direction.

“I mean, come on. Look at her.” Riku whispered when Sora finally allowed himself to turn, “She’s having the time of her life out there.”

At that moment, it was like a switch flipped in Sora’s mind. When Sora saw Kairi’s beaming grin, he remembered just how much he liked her. He felt his hair stand on end when her melodious laughter reached his ears. He felt himself melt internally.

“Yeah…” The word came out quietly - as though it were almost muffled. He knew Riku was right - he was always right. It just horrified Sora to know that would likely make a fool of himself in front of the girl he loved more than life itself.

“Look, I know you’re really nervous about this whole thing.” Riku sighed, lightly gripping Sora’s shoulder, “But I know you. If you keep your feelings hidden from her forever, you’re never going to get over it.”

Riku lightly elbowed Sora, who had to practically pry his hypnotized gaze from Kairi.

“And who knows? She might actually feel the same way about you.” He shrugged, giving Sora a look through the corner of his eyes, “But you’ll never know until you try. So, be a man and make the first move for her.”

Sora took a deep breath. His eyes lingered back toward Kairi as he swallowed a small mass of saliva that had accumulated in his mouth. He knew Riku was right - but that did nothing to still his rapidly beating heart.

“I know, but-”

Sora looked back, expecting to see his silver-haired friend before he was greeted with an empty space. As expected, Riku had gone back to the snack table for a bite to eat. He glanced at Sora from where he stood behind a platter of brownies. He winked when he locked eyes with Sora. Riku had left him to figure out what - and how - he was going to confess to the girl of his dreams. 

And this time, he wasn’t going to give him any guidance beyond that.

Sora sighed and turned back to the dance floor. Kairi had since caught sight of him. Sora felt his heart flutter when she beckoned him over. He laughed to himself and shook his head, crossing his arms. Kairi quickly excused herself from the floor and trotted up to him.

“Come on, Sora!” She gripped his wrists tightly, urging him to follow her, “I’m not going to let you be a wallflower for the whole party.”

“Kairi, I’m perfectly fine. Don’t worry about me.” Sora lightly tugged back, “Go and have fun with your friends.”

Kairi placed her hands on her hips and shot him a playful glare.

“Sora, you are my best friend.” She grabbed his wrists again and pulled him more forcibly, causing Sora to stumble slightly, “It would be horrible for me to let you just sit here while everyone else is off doing their own thing.”

Sora followed her for a few steps before looking back at Riku again. Riku puffed out his chest as though taking a deep breath before gesturing for Sora to just “talk”. But before Sora could respond, he was already on the dance floor.

The moment Riku lost sight of Sora, he turned back to the platter of cupcakes on the table. Tidus had since taken to the bowl of chips beside it, and it didn’t seem like he was going to stop eating anytime soon. Selphie and Wakka sat on a couple of stools not far from the table. Wakka had been watching Sora closely and the second Sora left, he pulled out 2 ten-dollar bills.

“20 dollars says that Sora won’t be able to do it.” He slapped the counter with the bills, leaning back and pursing his lips together.

“Oh no, 45 dollars says he will.” Tidus piped up, his mouth full of chips.

“You’re on.” Wakka playfully pointed at the hungry boy.

The two of them laughed. As fond as they were of Sora, they knew he can hardly hold a simple conversation with her without gushing. Riku gave no response to their harmless bet and simply reached for a cupcake. Selfie glanced up at Riku.

“So, do you think he’s gonna do it?” She tilted her head.

Riku took a deep breath and looked over at her. The look on his face was one of trust - but doubt. He slowly shook his head.

“Honestly? I love the guy.” He took a bite of the cupcake, “But I don’t think he’ll be able to tell her.”

\- - - - - - - - -

A while later, a breathless, exhausted Sora emerged from the dance floor. He’d just spent the last couple hours trying to keep up with Kairi, who seemed to have a boundless supply of energy. Part of him was disappointed in himself for not being able to stick it out on the floor for as long as she did - but one can only pretend to know how to dance for so long.

As soon as he heard the door shut behind Sora, Riku looked up from a plastic cup of ice water he had been downing. His gaze was bright and expectant - and for a brief moment, he looked around for Kairi, only to see that she was nowhere to be found. 

Tidus, Wakka, and Selfie had engaged in a game of cards beside Riku. They too peered up from their game to see Sora.

“So, Sora?” Wakka suddenly piped up, speaking the very question that had been on everyone’s minds, “What did she say?”

Sora only quietly made his way to the snack table, busying himself with a cupcake. Riku let out a deep sigh, though it was only loud enough for those at the snack table to hear. Tidus slammed his hand of cards down on the table, meanwhile, Wakka burst into a fit of laughter.

“Damn!!” Tidus crossed his arms, but not before he reached into his pocket to retrieve a couple of twenties and a five.

“Pay up, Tidy.” Wakka held a hand out for the crisp cash, “You owe me.”

Riku placed his newly emptied cup and crossed his arms, leaning back onto the table. He glared at Sora, who stared sullenly at his cupcake. After a moment, Sora locked eyes with his disappointed friend.

“You’re really gonna make me do it for you?” Riku frowned, rather disappointed that he was actually right in his prediction.

“No!” Sora shook his head suddenly, still having not taken a bite out of the cupcake. His voice went quiet, “I just… can’t do it in front of everyone here.”

Riku took another deep breath and reached into his pocket, retrieving his keys. He shot Sora one last look before making his way to the door.

“Good. It’s late and we’re going for a drive.” He stated simply, marching toward the door, “Let’s go home.”

Sora’s eyes widened and he darted after Riku as he went out to the patio. Kairi caught sight of the two of them before quickly checking her watch; at this point, it was almost 1 in the morning.

“Is it already time to go?” Kairi tilted her head, slightly disappointed.

“I’m afraid so.” Riku shortly replied, lifting his keys and motioning toward a white truck that had been parked in the front yard of the house, “Come on, Kairi. We’ve gotta go.”

“Man…” Kairi sighed before looking back to the girls she had been dancing with. She waved to them briefly and trotted over to where he and Sora were walking out to the road.

Riku unlocked the car and the three of them climbed on in - Riku at the helm, Sora in the back seat, and Kairi sitting beside him. Riku started the truck and began to pull out, but not before shouting to the drugged Vanitas beforehand.

As they drove off, Kairi propped her chin onto her hand and proceeded to look out the window. Now that she wasn’t as full of adrenaline as she had been, she had come to realize just how tired she really was. She yawned. Riku peered up into the rearview at Sora, who looked back at him helplessly.

Riku pursed his lips together and turned a corner. He silently decided to take the long way home as he proceeded to make small talk with the two of them.

“So, I’m assuming you had a lot of fun out there.” He commented, looking in the rearview at Kairi, who’d taken to wiping her sweaty face with a small rag she had brought to the party, “The minute you hit that floor you just couldn’t get off, could you?”

Kairi quietly giggled, tightening the ponytail she’d only recently made. She looked bashfully at Riku out of the corner of her eyes.

“Is it that obvious?” She murmured lightheartedly.

“Would you say you were the best one out there?” Riku continued, scanning the road before him.

“Well, I don’t think I’d go that far.” Kairi shook her head and looked back out into the passing night, “Yuffie was there, and she killed it the whole night. I mean, she and Leon had it out at one point, so that was a lot of fun to watch.”

There was a brief moment of silence before Kairi made her next statement - almost as though she was a little hesitant to make it in the first place.

“Though, I made Sora join us a short bit before we left.” She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, “He was pretty good too. He doesn’t give himself enough credit.”

Riku tightened his grip on the steering wheel and glanced up at Sora, who seemed to be like a deer caught in the headlights. Kairi giggled at his stunned silence. She playfully tapped his arm.

“I’m telling the truth! You weren’t half bad.” She continued, now talking to Sora personally, “I mean, the moment you left the floor, Xion looked at me and told me she wishes Roxas knew how to dance like that.”

Riku snorted suddenly, Sora shooting him a quick look. Riku coughed, pulling a transparent cover over his sudden urge to laugh. Kairi only playfully kicked Riku’s seat, wordlessly scolding him. Now, Sora’s face was about as red as a strawberry’s.

“Riku, don’t be so rude.” Kairi’s smile still lingered as she playfully glared at him through the rearview, “You don’t give him enough credit.”

“You’re right, you’re right.” Riku lifted a single hand off the wheel for a brief moment, surrendering from the situation, “Sorry. I just can’t see Sora as a dancer.”

“And frankly, I can’t see Riku as a dancer either.” Sora returned promptly, sticking his chin up towards his friend.

“Touche.” Riku smiled at Sora, entering the area of a large intersection that had been busy even this late into the night.

Sora and he held each other’s gazes in the rearview for a moment before Riku looked forward at the red light in front of him. He slowed to a stop and focused upon the road ahead while still speaking to the passengers in the back.

“Anyway, Kairi.”

Kairi’s eyes widened and she peered into his reflection again, “Yes?”

“I think Sora has something to tell you.” Riku simply stated, looking at Sora one last time. Sora bit the inside of his cheek again, his heart suddenly racing. Riku stared at him for a moment with the same intensity as a stern parent to a child.

Sora took a deep breath. It was now or never. Kairi looked at him questionably. She tilted her head as a curious puppy would. The light turned green and Riku began to pull forward. Sora gripped her wrist firmly, but his gaze was as nervous and gentle as he was.

“Kairi, I-”

Suddenly, there was a loud blaring horn. Riku let out a loud curse when the blinding headlights of a big rig peered into the vehicle. Kairi screamed and shielded herself. Sora instinctively tightened his grip on her wrist as they were thrown to the side, their heads harshly colliding together. Kairi cried out. Truck barreled into truck as the two cars went flying one way into yet a third that had been innocently waiting to leave.

The sound of slamming metal was deafening. For a horrifying moment, all three of them were blinded by the bright headlights they’d just seen. Their ears rang with the blaring horns and the shattering of glass. All at once, there was a plethora of jerking movements before everything eerily came to a sudden stop.

And for a horrifying moment, the stunned friends felt nothing.

\- - - - - - - - -

Sirens.

At first, the distant wailing of sirens was the only thing Riku could process aside from an aching throb in his head. He groaned to himself, feeling nothing but cold, hard concrete against his back. Something trickles down the side of his face and the disoriented boy brings a hand to it, his eyes opening just wide enough to see the red liquid on his fingertips. 

Blood?

Suddenly, his turquoise eyes burst open as he snapped to attention. The memories came flooding back now and all form of recollection flooded his being all at once.

The lights. The screams. The horn. The collision. The shattering glass. 

Car accident!

He paled and jumped to his feet, his being suddenly flooded with an overwhelming rush of adrenaline. He looked back and felt his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. His white truck had been jammed in between an eighteen-wheeler and a smaller car. 

Bits and pieces of grey and white metal scattered the road. Horrified late-night pedestrians were already rushing onto the scene to offer any help they could. Some had taken to anxiously calling emergency services. Others had begun to offer aid to the surrounding victims.

His heart throbbing in his throat, Riku glanced around the scene. There was no sign of Sora or Kairi. He took a deep breath and cupped his hands around his mouth. He darted forward, desperately scanning the scene for either of his two friends.

“Sora! Kairi!” He called out, “Answer me!”

Suddenly, he heard a scream from someone nearby. He skidded to a stop and looked in the direction of the cry. Kairi was there, clinging tightly to an arm that hung motionless out of a shattered window. It had been where the big rig had nearly snapped Riku’s truck in half - and exactly where Sora had been sitting. Riku felt what remained of his color drain from his face.

“Sora!!” Kairi screamed, her voice breaking in anguish, “Answer me! Please!”

“K-Kairi!” Riku breathed, his false relief only lingering for a mere moment.

Kairi looked back at him. A small stream of blood trickled down her arm from a deep gash in her shoulder. Her face had been significantly bruised - though she offered no notice of it. She had luckily gotten out of the wrecked car with nothing but a few bloody cuts and bruises - but from the desolate way she looked at him, Riku understood that she was much more emotionally damaged than she was physically.

“Riku, i-it’s Sora!!” She breathed, her words practically flying out of her mouth at a rate nearly too fast for him to comprehend, “He w-won’t talk to me. I-I don’t even think he’s even alive!”

That last statement tore through Riku like a machete to a piece of paper. He shook his head, dreading that what she said was true. Sora’s arm hung out of the shattered window like a dead weight. He took to gripping it like a lifeline, searching for any reassurance that he was even there. But there was hardly any tension - hardly any reassurance that he was even there. 

But suddenly, there was a groan. A low, gurgling noise from someone within. Kairi and Riku suddenly held their breaths as they peered into the window again, finally catching sight of small, trembling movements.

Then they saw him.

His glowing blue eyes had glazed over like a frozen puddle. His eyes were empty, dull and lifeless, but so full of pain that it drove daggers into Kairi and Riku’s heart. His golden skin had become pale and clammy and his previously vivacious complexion had become dismal. He could say nothing, but his ashen gaze spoke volumes.

“H-Help me…” Sora pleaded, his eyes filling with tears of pain and confusion. He could hardly finish a simple sentence without nearly choking on the puddle of blood that had gathered in the back of his throat, “...Ri-...K-Kai…”

Kairi swallowed a massive lump that had formed in her throat. She reached into the vehicle and tried to wipe Sora’s tears.

“It’s gonna be okay.” She said, trying to reason with the confused, distraught boy, “R-Riku and I are gonna get you out of there, okay?”

Riku had turned from the truck and began to push the big rig from where it had buried itself in his truck. He groaned loudly, ignoring his throbbing head while he struggled to separate the metal from the metal. The creaking was loud - and everyone heard it. Some pedestrians had even figured out what was happening and had taken to helping him.

Kairi, meanwhile, was using everything she had to keep Sora alert. While the metal groaned and screeched beside her, she continued to hold his hand. She kept telling him to hold on and that help was going to come soon, but there was only so much she could do.

“S-Sora, come on.” She cried, glancing uneasily back at Riku, “Come on, S-Sora.”

At that moment, there was a loud crack. Riku pulled back from the overheating engine, ignoring his newly blistered hands. He bit his bottom lip and took to prying the door of his truck open. He stumbled slightly, his head suddenly pounding. He had to physically will himself not to lose focus.

“K-Kairi!” He groaned, having finally opened the jammed door wide enough for an opening, “G-Get him out of there…!”

Kairi nodded sullenly and skirted herself around Riku. She leaned in and unbuckled the nearly unconscious Sora. He suddenly cried out when the leather violently ripped from where it had left raw belt burns across his shoulder and side. His head fell forward as what was left of his strength abandoned him. Kairi pulled him into her arms, her aching heart throbbing in her throat. 

She could feel Sora’s haggard breathing against her and had to physically refrain from giving into the plethora of sobs that threatened to escape her lips. She could feel the blood cascading down the back of Sora’s neck. She could feel it staining her clothes. Who knew how much blood he’d already lost??

But instead of giving into her worst scenario fantasies, she turned her attention to Sora, who needed all the consolation in the world.

“It’s gonna be okay.” She whispered sullenly, not even sure she herself believed it, “I-I promise… It’s gonna be okay. Just stay with us. Stay with us. Please.”

Kairi pulled him into her arms and had taken to hauling him out of the car. Riku reached over from where he had been holding the metal apart and slipped an arm around Sora, wishing to help Kairi in whatever way he could.

 

“We got you, buddy.” Riku murmured, glancing up gratefully at the helpful strangers who continued offer whatever assistance they could. Sora offered no response. He barely hung on to what little life he had left.

Riku and Kairi quickly hauled him from the street and into the grass of a nearby clearing. Kairi fell to her knees beside Sora and pulled him into her lap. Riku paced back and forth as he made one more frantic 911 call despite all the calls that had previously been made by others on the scene. 

Sora, meanwhile, had to use every inch of his being to will himself into remaining conscious. He could taste the coppery blood pooling in his mouth. He felt his bones crack and ache with each movement and breath he took. He struggled to breathe, for every breath he took, it felt like his lungs were only collapsing further.

A soft groan escaped his lips when a numbed ache in his head suddenly sharpened again. He let out a breath, his face contorted in silent, explicit agony.

Kairi gently shushed him, cradling him close to her. She looked down him and caressed his cheek, trying to offer what little solace she possibly could.

For a moment, his glazed eyes stared up into hers. He knew she was crying. He could see the tears glistening in her vision. He could see the bruises on her face and the fear in her crystal gaze - and for a moment, he didn’t care about how much pain he was in; he just hated to see her so scared.

“K-Kai..” He breathed through the blood in his throat. He lifted a trembling hand to her face - though he barely had the strength to simply focus on her broken gaze.

Kairi’s breath hitched and she gripped his cold, discolored hand tightly. She quickly laced her fingers between his and held the hand close to her heart. Tears now cascaded down her cheeks though she continued to reassure him.

“S-Sora…” She responded simply, struggling to speak against her burning throat, “I-I’m here. I’m not leaving you... I-I promise.”

At that moment, the pain that once laced through Sora’s body like a raging fire had since become icy and numb. Though he continued to look up into Kairi’s teary blue eyes, a shadowy, black hue had begun to fill the edges of his vision. All the sounds around him suddenly became so distant and quiet - all except for the sound of the heartbeat in his ears.

Blood had begun to trickle from the corner of Sora’s mouth and his breathing had become more harbored than it had been. Still, despite all of this, he found it within him to smile up at her. His dulling eyes began to lose focus as he uttered a single phrase that held all the sincerity his slowing heart could muster.

“I love you…”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING:  
> There will be some pretty strong language with this one. Given the situation that these poor teens have been thrown into, some characters just can't help themselves.  
> Also, I just want to make sure that I am not an experienced medic or surgeon. Nor am I even considering to enter the field. I simply am an avid writer who wants to tell a compelling story. So please keep in mind that the medical practices displayed here - and beyond - may be very far from what actually happens within the walls of an ambulance, hospital, Operating Room, etc.  
> Thank you, and enjoy!!

“That. Was. _Crazy_!!”

A young brunette laughed out loud as she climbed into the back of a small grey car. She was joined by her two friends who sat up front - and were just about as buzzed as she had been. A raven-haired girl took the wheel of the car and looked back at her, her eyes gleaming playfully. Her blonde friend took a seat next to her, her eyes wide.

“Did that happen?” She asked, her voice loud with rising giggles, “Did Axel really just do that - or am I just imagining it?”

The brunette bit back a crying laugh. She could scarcely contain herself when she thought back to the scene in question. Right as they were leaving the party, they caught sight of a ditzy Axel trying to down 2 whole liters of Vodka in a single sitting. Fellow party-goers had been gathered around the fiery redhead, chanting their stoned encouragements. Meanwhile, a half-mortified, half-infuriated blue-haired peer watched his close friend in complete silence.

The girl sputtered when she thought back to the way he glared at the careless redhead.

“Did you see Saix’s face?” She grinned at the raven-haired driver, “He looked like he was out for murder!”

“Oh, after having to deal with post-drunk Axel tomorrow, I’m sure he’ll go straight up serial.” Her friend responded, “Which is exactly why I leave Roxas and Saix to pick up his pieces.”

“Smart move, Xion.” The blonde headed girl sitting beside her giggled lightly, bringing a hand to her beaming mouth, “He’s definitely going to have one _hell_ of a hangover tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, undoubtedly.” Xion replied, finally composing herself enough to insert her key and start her engine, “I love Axel, but he has absolutely _no_ self-control when it comes to high school parties”

“ _I’ll_ say.” Her brunette companion giggled behind her, “I’ve always known Pence to be quite the drinker - but I’ve never seen _anyone_ down 5 shots of vodka in one sitting and _then_ win 2 beer pong games in a row - let alone _2 fucking liters_!”

“Not even Seifer?” The blonde girl glanced back at her, playfully staring.

“That lightweight? Hell no!” The brunette lightheartedly kicked her seat, “Are you crazy? The guy downs a single can of beer and he’s tipsy.”

Xion gripped the gear and set the car into drive. She lifted her eyes to the rearview mirror, meeting the gaze of her brunette friend.

“And ya know what makes it even funnier?” Xion playfully whispered for both girls to hear, “Axel wouldn’t have had a chance had he been _sober_.”

Another few moments passed with the girls bursting into another fit of giggles before finally letting their laughter die down. Xion had taken to pulling out of the front yard and onto the street while her passengers continued to get settled.

Her blonde friend let out a slight sigh, sinking into her seat. The brunette in the backseat pulled her hair out of a tight, sweaty hair tie. She stretched herself across the backseat and shuddered, running her fingers through her previously confined scalp.

“ _Freedom..._ ” She lightly uttered, a smile of relief coming onto her face.

“Ya know,” The blonde suddenly piped up, her blue eyes peering up at Xion, “I get that Vanitas isn’t the nicest person in the high school, but man… I always have the best time at his parties.”

“Uh oh. Namine,” Xion playfully gasped, pulling her car to a stop at a stop sign, “You aren’t starting to develop a soft spot for the school asshole, are you?”

“What the hell?! No!” Namine quickly shook her head, speaking over another burst of giggles from the girl in the back seat, “I never said that, I-”

"You better watch yourself, Namine.” The brunette passenger howled, “Vanitas may be a looker - but we call him the school asshole for a reason.”

“Believe me, I get it.” Namine rolled her eyes, shooting her friend a glare, “I wouldn’t be caught dead with him.”

“But hey, Olette. You gotta admit - his brother’s pretty cute.” Xion suddenly piped up, pulling her car forward, “I mean, he’s physically a second Roxas - but he’s gotta be the sweetest thing!”

At this, both girls chimed in with swoons and cries. Yes, it was true that Vanitas was the farthest from charming a guy could get - but his twin brother, Ventus, was the heartthrob of nearly every girl in the grade. Including them.

Xion smiled to herself as she let her friends regain themselves. She drove forward for a short while before pulling up finally to a long line of stopped cars on the road. She tilted her head, looking down at her watch.

“Traffic?” She murmured, “...At this hour?”

“What?” Olette sat up in the backseat, pulling herself forward to see the road ahead, “This early? That’s impossible… right?”

Namine tilted her head, arching a confused eyebrow. Her previously giddy demeanor suddenly morphed into confusion. She watched as multiple cars ahead of them began to turn around, vacating the long line of vehicles.

“I don’t know. No one is moving down this road.” She began to think out loud, “People are starting to make U-Turns. Did something happen?”

“That might be the case...” Xion answered, her eyes narrowing. She tried to focus on the dimly lit road ahead of them - but she could see nothing but the incredibly faint outline of police tape stretched across the street, “...I think the road might be closed off.”

“Closed off?” Olette’s eyes widened.

Xion opened her mouth to reply, but before a sound escaped her lips, she was interrupted. A sudden siren began to wail behind them and all 3 girls turned quickly toward it. An ambulance darted down the side of the road, the blue and red lights momentarily blinding them as the vehicle passed by.

Xion suddenly got a horrible gut feeling - and Namine and Olette shared the dread. This was the road to Sora, Riku, and Kairi’s part of town. They all knew it - and that sudden realization sank like a pit in their stomachs. 

Without a word, Xion began to take off her seatbelt. Her eyes suddenly became as wide as saucers. She could see a small, torn up car that had been smashed against the side of a truck that had nearly been torn in half by a third vehicle - a big rig. She was unable to make out any other colors aside from the garish lights of the ambulance.

But upon closer inspection, she saw a bumper sticker. It hardly hung together, but Xion could still somehow see the shapes of tacky window stickers illuminated in the flashing hues of reds and blues. She knew those stickers - they’d been playfully put on by a brunette goofball who wanted to prank his silver-haired friend when he first purchased the vehicle. 

Xion felt her heart sink into the pit of her stomach. She tore her gaze from the flashing lights and she looked alarmedly at Namine and Olette.

"Guys.” Her words caught in her throat, “That’s Riku’s truck!”

\- - - - - - - - -

When the girls reached the site a short while later, nothing could have prepared them for what they would have seen. Xion brought her hand to her mouth as she took in the accident as one would a glass of nails. Her jaw dropped as the scenery suddenly flooded her unprepared senses.

Three cars had been totaled, and all three of them had been emptied of drivers and riders alike - likely by the concerned pedestrians that continued to swarm the site. A big rig sat in the center of the intersection, it’s smoking engine covered in white extinguishing foam. The large load of the truck seemed rather untouched - though the front seemed to have been smashed in from colliding into the side of the white truck.

The smaller red car had been brutally smashed into the rear of the white truck’s bed. The hood curled in such a way that half of it was now under the truck - and half the roof of the car had been ripped from the rest of the vehicle, somehow winding up mangled among the metal strewn about the scene.

Across the way, the white truck had practically been torn in two. Blood splattered the windshield where someone’s head had likely been thrown into the glass. Previously gleaming metal now twisted in ways that made Xion’s stomach churn. Car doors hung off of hinges while crusted blood stained the insides - of all vehicles involved.

Xion held her breath. She brought a hand to her gaping mouth

“Holy shit…” 

She felt Namine and Olette skid to a stop behind her, both sharing in her shock. Namine squeaked and had to bury her face in Xion’s shoulder - she hated the sight of blood. Olette, meanwhile, couldn’t pry her eyes from the gruesome sight. The girls stood frozen in the wake of the horrific scene.

It wasn’t until a paramedic brushed past them that they finally broke from their trance. They began to move about the scene again. This time their focus was not on the wreckage, but their friends.

“Kairi!” The three began to frantically shout, “Riku?! Sora!!”

At first, there was no response. Namine’s grip on Xion began to tighten as worse scenarios began to swirl in her mind. Xion could only squeeze her hand in return. Olette, meanwhile, continued to cry out for Kairi - until she caught sight of a couple familiar friends sitting together in the back of a newly parked ambulance. 

“Kairi! R-Riku!”

The words had barely left her lips before Xion and Namine ran in the direction of the ambulance, thus cutting Olette’s words short. She didn’t give any thought to it, however - she was too busy trying to catch up with them.

Upon hearing their names, the disheveled teens perked up - even if it’d interrupted the paramedic who’d been carefully stitching a deep gash on the side of Riku’s head. He winced at the abrupt throb, lowering his head again following a prompt look from the medic that had been treating his wounds. Kairi’s hand remained in Riku’s even as her friends pulled her into a relieved embrace.

“Kai! You’re alright!” Namine cheered, having been the first to hug her.

“We got so worried for a second.” Olette agreed, letting out an audible sigh crossed with a slight grin, “You can’t scare us like that, okay?”

Xion glanced up at Riku, who’d since fallen about as silent as Kairi had. He gritted his teeth as the present paramedic continued to sew the now half gaping wound shut. His clouded eyes met hers and for a brief moment, she saw what raw, unspoken emotion weighed on him. It was the same clouded fear that shrouded Kairi’s now sullen facade.

Xion could no longer celebrate in their safety. Something had happened. She knew it - as did Namine and Olette. They felt it the moment they flung themselves onto Kairi. When they heard her seemingly endless silence, she felt her heavily throbbing heart and looked into her red, raw eyes.

“Guys…” Xion breathed, dreading their response, “What happened? Where’s S-”

Suddenly, there was rapid movement from across the chaotic scene. A dark-haired paramedic suddenly darted into the back of the ambulance for supplies, abruptly interrupting Xion’s exchange. Namine fell back from the swift motion, falling into Olette. 

The medic glanced back over his shoulder from where he stood hunched over an open drawer. He hastily signaled to his female companion that had been tending to Riku’s stitches.

“Aerith. There’s been a drastic shift in the other patient’s condition.” His words were quick and firm, sharp enough to almost startle his peer, “We need all hands on deck. Now.”

In the short moment following his words, the paramedic locked eyes with Riku and sternly told him to stay seated while the stitches settle. Riku gave no response - she didn’t give him time to do so before she turned away to help her partner.

Xion, Olette, and Namine had gone silent. Riku and Kairi suddenly became as white as ghosts. Neither of them spoke, but they both had a single thought - a single fear in mind. Riku’s bandaged, burned hand mindlessly trailed to Kairi’s trembling palm. Kairi accepted the touch fervently - though her eyes never left the direction of the paramedics.

“What’s going on?” Aerith spoke, her words - though gentle - brimming with the same underlying urgency as the first.

“He’s gone into Cardiac Arrest. We’ve been unable to get a response from him since arrival, and we’re beginning to fear that there’s been a traumatic brain injury.” The medic’s voice suddenly dropped to a hush, “If we don’t get him back soon, the kid might not have a chance.”

Aerith’s eyes widened. She pulled out a couple of small tiles attached to the fabric, “Zach, he’s just a kid-”

“We know…” The man’s voice suddenly became practically inaudible. His facade remained as firm as he’d trained himself to look during situations like these, but he just couldn’t help the fear that had settled around him. He took a deep breath, “...And _we’re trying,_ Aerith.” 

Without another word, the man pulled out a small, black box. He picked up the paddles and flipped a switch, rubbing them together as a high-pitched whir swirled through the air. As soon as a couple of sparks of electricity could be seen coursing between the surfaces of the paddles, the two of them made their way quickly toward a tight group of kneeling medics.

Kairi’s grip on Riku’s hand tightened. She felt her heart pulse in her throat. Xion, Olette, and Namine all stood bewilderedly aside as the distant voices of frantically working doctors began to enter their minds.

The fearful teens had all caught glimpses of the pale, lifeless form that lay on the hard ground in the middle of the working doctors. Namine’s breath hitched when she saw a gnarly gash on the side of his previously golden face. She looked away, burying her face into Olette’s shoulder again.

Just a few moments ago, Xion had meant to ask Riku about Sora. But now she feared the twisted, dreaded answer she would receive. Olette and Namine had since come to the conclusion too - from the overwhelming absence of the purest among them to the sheet-white gazes of the wounded teens before them, there was a frightening omission that hung around them like a dead weight.

But still, the lingering words of confusion and fear escaped Xion’s lips like a soft whimper. 

“Please don’t tell me that’s…”

Kairi bit her bottom lip, the final words uttered by her closest friend echoing in the back of her mind.

“S-Sora…”

\- - - - - - - - -

At first, Sora had no idea what was happening.

When he first came to, his head was swimming and his vision was shot. It had taken him several moments to simply regain the mental balance - and strength - to just look around. And when he did, his glazed eyes were greeted with blank nothingness. A vast, empty void extended out from him in every direction.

“H-Hello??” Sora called out, though his voice made no noise against the darkness. He retreated into himself when an empty, deafening silence was his only reply. He was alone.

Confused, Sora tried to turn again, searching through the nothingness for anything. A light. A sound. A voice. _Something_ for him to grasp onto.

But he couldn’t move. His body seemed to reject the desire for motion - he was stiff. Stuck. His entire form was weak. His senses had all gone numb. His thoughts were paralyzed. Fear and confusion washed over his entire body as he struggled to remember anything he could. Feelings, emotions, sensations. Pictures. Faces.

A single distant, fragmented memory flashed through his mind over and over again. He saw two friendly faces looking down at him. Tears streamed down their cheeks. They spoke, but no words came out. They held him. They held each other. They seemed to be coaxing him to go on. But to where?

Sora’s heart throbbed. The vacant memory had awakened a previously dormant heartache. He knew deep down that he needed to be with them again, but his being remained wholely reluctant. He didn’t even know who they were!

Suddenly, Sora’s conflicted thoughts and emotions were flooded with a newfound sense of physical sensation. Pain suddenly filled his previously numb pores as loud, foreign, muffled voices filled his ringing ears. He writhed, crying out abruptly - though nothing came out. Sora’s brain throbbed harshly. 

He felt hands all over him. He felt his form ache as he was poked and prodded by sharp metal tools. He groaned, twisting again as the darkness around him only seemed to intensify. His eyes began to water as his fear and confusion only intensified. He called out soundlessly again.

“Somebody help me! P-Please!!”

\- - - - - - - - -

“No breath sounds on the right. Someone get me a tube!”

“Get him more fluids, he’s going into hypothermia!”

“He’s got definite brain bleed alongside a depressed skull fracture. His pupils are not responsive either.”

“There’s a possible pull in the upper spinal cord as well. Someone get him a brace.”

“Someone call the Emergency Team and get them to set up an OR for him! Now!”

“Be careful around the chest! He’s got massive bruises on his ribcage, any wrong move could cause a lung to collapse.”

“We’re going on 3 minutes with no response to heart palpitations.”

“Chest compressions and CPR isn’t helping either. Where the hell is that Defibrillator?!”

Zach skidded to his knees in the grass upon returning to the frantically working group of doctors. He locked eyes briefly with the blonde-haired leader of the Trauma Team who had been holding the patient’s head in place in another medic pumped oxygen into the boy’s lungs. 

“Zach. Where’s the defibrillator??” His words were sharp and quick. He knew it as well as all the other medics that this boy’s life hung in the balance.

“I have it.” Zach sighed, quickly catching his breath as he picked up the thick paddles from the sides of the box. He flipped a switch and began to rub the two pieces together, allowing the electricity to build up, “I have it right here.”

“...We’re gonna need to have an MRI, this kid’s fever is only getting worse.” Another medic murmured, “We have a temp of 104 and rising!”

The doctors continued to chatter among themselves as they worked desperately to bring their patient back. Riku and Kairi continued to cling to each other while Namine, Olette, and Xion stood frozen in place. They’d caught several glimpses of Sora - his face was caked in his blood, his skin had been drained of practically any color it once had… and though no one wished to admit it, he looked like he was already dead from the beginning.

“I…” Namine’s mouth hung open as she searched for something to say against the writhing knots in her stomach. She didn’t look back as she slunk away, “...I h-have to call Aqua.”

Kairi felt a massive lump form in her throat as the distant chattering continued to fill her ears. She couldn’t see the faces of the doctors, but she also knew that nothing was working. Sora had still not woken up, and nothing the doctors did seemed to help him at all. She took in a deep breath, trembling when a sudden sob escaped her unguarded lips.

Riku let out a sharp exhale, letting his head fall briefly against her shoulder. He let his fear and anguish get the best of him if only for a moment before finally willing himself onto his feet. He winced silently and stumbled when his head suddenly ached with newly flowing blood. His vision failed suddenly, but he felt arms grappling him from behind.

“Riku, what are you doing?” Xion desperately clutched the lightheaded boy, “You need to sit down. The medic said-”

“ ** _Fuck the medic!!_ ** ” The words burst from Riku’s trembling lips with a raw emotion that pierced Xion’s heart. She stepped back, startled by his sudden hostility. Riku’s eyes narrowed, but his glare only faltered as the reality of the dire situation continued to weigh him down, “Our best friend is _dying_ and you expect me to just take it sitting down?!”

At this, Kairi’s heart ached. She peered up at her distressed friend through glassy eyes, “Riku…”

“Zach, we need those defibrillators now!!” A sudden cry from a frantic paramedic interrupted Kairi’s thoughts. At once, all the present teens turned in the direction of the announcement, “We’re losing him!”

Kairi’s heart sunk and she jumped to her feet. She darted forward, abruptly seizing Riku by the wrist and pulling him along. The friends promptly made their way toward the chatter - they needed to be closer to their friend. For however long he had left.

Kairi stumbled to a halt when she saw Sora’s face for the first time since the paramedics had taken him away. She tightened her grip on Riku’s wrist and absentmindedly wrapped her unused arm around herself. All of Sora’s color had completely drained from his body with the blood that had pooled on the concrete underneath him. His still, bloodily bruised face was covered in a large oxygen mask that a paramedic used to pump oxygen into his unmoving systems. His closed eyes had grown darker - deathly shadows had begun to form in the creases of his previously vibrant facade. His battered and broken body lay deathly still, covered in bandages, wires, and braces that the paramedics used in their attempt to save him. His hands fell limp at his side and his mangled form pulsated with the continually failing compressions given to him by another desperate paramedic.

Kairi shuddered and her hand grasped at Riku’s. He wasn’t supposed to look like that. He was supposed to have golden skin and big, bright blue eyes. He was going to be okay. That’s what she tried to coax herself into believing. He was supposed _to be okay_.

“Alright. Charging defibrillators to 200 joules!” The leader of the trauma team suddenly spoke again, this time firm in his urgency.

On cue, all the surrounding paramedics pulled away from Sora’s body. Kairi bit her bottom lip and held her breath. She felt Riku draw closer to her. She felt his hand tighten around hers.

Xion and Olette hung back, their hearts aching. Namine stood aside, clutching herself as she struggled to relay information back to a distraught woman over the phone through a plethora of sobs. Namine glanced up when she heard the single word that seized every worry of everyone - stranger and not - present.

“Clear!!”

\- - - - - - - - -

For Sora, the next few moments were filled with pure confusion and agony,

As soon as he’d heard the muffled call, a wave of burning, electric pain burst through his body. He flung his head back and screamed into the void, though he knew he would get no response. Tears now streaming down his cheeks, he felt his eyes roll back into his head as a new sense of presence filled his pores.

What was happening to him?

The voices had become louder now. They spoke quicker and with more urgency. He felt the hands all over his aching body. He felt his fragmented ribs creak as someone constantly shoved into his chest. He curled up into a tight ball, every part of his body suddenly roaring with pain. He gritted his teeth. The darkness pulsed around him. He heard another loud bellow that was promptly followed by a louder mechanized noise. His unseeing eyes widened. He clutched himself, more intense electric pain abruptly returning to all of his systems. He began to violently tremble as his numb aches turned to unbearable wracking throbs.

Sora bit back another cry. The pain had almost become too much for him to bear. He writhed painfully, wanting nothing more than to wither away from the helplessness of the situation. He tightened his grip on himself, feeling his tears rush down his cheeks. 

The electricity pulsed painfully through his veins again and he let out an empty breath. His eyes burst open as a horrifying realization flooded his pores. No matter how hard he tried to suck in, his lungs failed to expand with air. He couldn’t breathe.

He squeaked and began to grasp loosely at his contracting throat. He gritted his teeth and struggled again. The void only intensified his silence. The voices were getting louder. Too loud. Sora tightly gripped the side of his aching head, trying to cover his ears from the faceless, deafening chatter. He arched his back, his lungs now starving for air.

Suddenly, there was a break in the darkness. A small sliver of light began to appear as another presence seemed to fill the previously empty void. All at once, a voice began to speak - though it made not a sound. 

_Sora! You have to wake up!!_

Sora’s unbreathing chest heaved. He winced soundlessly - his broken ribs made it nearly impossible to shift without feeling any pain. Still, he reached forward. His wet face contorted in a sullen twist of breathless agony and determination, ushered still by the strange voice.

"I-I’m trying!!"

Sora gritted his teeth, reaching further for the sliver of light before him. He leaned forward, his chest now convulsing as his lungs continued to crave air. The light began to abruptly expand. Sora could see nothing on the other side, but he’d rather be anywhere than this endless abyss of pain. The wordless voice was louder now. 

_Sora. Breathe! Wake yourself up!!_

But before he could respond, the entire abyss was overtaken by the blinding white sliver of light. Startled, Sora recoiled. Intense, explosive pain suddenly flooded his whole body in such a way that Sora could only wish to scream.

\- - - - - - - - - -

“Now there’s no breath sounds on either side. His condition is worsening!” 

Kairi bit back a loud cry, clutching Riku’s hand like a lifeline. He slung an arm around her from behind, looking for any form of stability he could find as long-suppressed sobs began to wrack his lungs. Kairi’s head fell back and new tears began trickling down her face. She had never prayed before, but now she had no other place to turn to. Her breathy voice trembled with her raw emotion. She closed her eyes, her tears escaping freely.

“Come on, _please!_  Dear God, _please_ just wake up!” Her trembling lips mouthed the words as desperation filled her whole being. Riku only buried his face in the back of Kairi’s shoulder.

“Upping joule charge to 340!” She heard the lead paramedic announce as he prepped the paddles one more time. All others pulled away. Without another word, he pressed the paddles firmly into the deteriorating body.

All those present had become motionless. They all had their attention trained on the boy before them. For a brief few moments, no one moved. It was still. Kairi watched as Sora convulsed again and again.

“ _Please…_ ” She choked back another sob.

And then, there was a loud groan. A sudden haggard breath was sucked in through blue, chapped lips. The boy’s body convulsed as his oxygen-starved lungs suddenly expanded for the first time in a while. His bloodshot eyes burst open and a sudden wave of relief overtook everyone present.

“We got him..!” Zach’s voice was barely audible, but he echoed the same thoughts as all the other medics around him.

Kairi let out a sudden cry of relief when she heard Sora’s quiet groan. Riku fell to his knees, almost taking her down with him. But she didn’t protest - if anything, she melted right alongside him. She leaned into Riku, pressing the side of her head against his. 

Sora was still there. He was still alive - if only just barely.

Meanwhile, Sora’s head swam with immense pain. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew one thing - he hurt. And he hurt bad. His heart throbbed in his throat and with every pulse, his vision bled. Bewildered, he tried to glance around - but his vision was so blurred with red that he could barely process the face of the paramedic that leaned directly into his line of vision.

Above all the others, a new voice began to drift into his ears. He writhed, biting back another cry. He felt a gentle, yet firm hand on his stiff wrist.

“Sora?” The voice seemed to say, “Sora, can you hear me?”

Sora let out a slight whimper as another aching throb struck his head. He closed his eyes briefly, prompting another distant call from the nearest nurse. He struggled to regain himself - he knew the voice was talking to him.

“I-” he tried to speak, but proceeded to cough up a sudden mass of blood, the blood splashing the oxygen mask tied to his face. The paramedic’s breath hitched and she reached down, swiftly wiping the substance off of it. She strapped it back onto his head.

“We have pooling blood presumably in the chest and lungs.” She glanced at the others who had begun to prepare a rolling stretcher for the boy, “He’s also extremely disoriented. I don’t know how much of a response I’ll be able to get.”

“Keep him talking, Aerith.” The blond-headed leader stated flatly, “The longer we have him with us, the better his chances are.”

Still, Sora continued to speak, but his voice had become nothing but a low gurgle. His chest heaved and his breathing rattled. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he tried to summon the strength to speak against the mass in his throat.

“Y-Yeah…I-...I can h-hear you…”

“Good.” The voice continued to drift into Sora’s ringing ears, presumably from the blurred face that continued to hang over him, “Now, can you tell me how many fingers I’m holding up?”

Sora’s bloodshot eyes slid open again. His whole body began to shake, be it from the pain, the fear, or a combination of both. 

“He’s hemorrhaging!”

The world had begun to spin around him. He tried to focus on the hand that was positioned right in front of his face. Willing himself onward, he struggled to count the fingers he saw. 1? 3? He winced again and closed his eyes.

A single tear fell down his cheek, “I d-don’t… I don’t know… 4..?”

There was a brief moment of silence from the voice as the nurse looked up and made some sort of note with another medic. Sora bit back another wince. His head began to throb. To simply glance around and use his eyes was hell. He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry. He wanted to just let go. He wanted to wither away from all of this. He had no idea what was happening. It all hurt so much.

But just as he began to give in to his detrimental thoughts, the voice returned. He’d been shifted from the concrete to the stretcher. His head had begun to throb. He let out a gurgling cry, his head lolling to the side. The medic’s eyes widened and she guided his unfocused vision back in her direction.

“Sora, listen to me.” The medic spoke again, her heart wilting when he felt her tremble against her touch, “We’re taking you to the hospital and you’re going to get help. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”

“Tell the emergency team we’re likely going to need to take an MRI as soon as possible.” Another paramedic spoke up, “I fear there’s a potential brain bleed, and we need to stop it pronto.”

Kairi and Riku stood up when they heard the distant rumble of a vehicle engine. They looked back to see a revved ambulance with the blonde captain running back toward the group, giving abrupt instructions to load him onto the ambulance.

“But… But Cloud!” The gentle paramedic glanced up at this, her eyes wide, “We can’t go back with the patient information we have, we need more!”

“Well Aerith, last I checked this boy is in no condition to give it to us.” The captain, now only concerned with the wellbeing of the patient above all things, “And if we wait too long, we’re going to lose this kid. So either you find another source or go on over with next to no information.”

Aerith opened her mouth to speak. The other paramedics had taken to rolling Sora onto the ambulance and she continued to walk with them. Riku and Kairi both got to their feet, trailing behind the moving group. Kairi reached up and lightly tapped Aerith’s shoulder.

“We can tell you about him.”

Aerith turned abruptly toward them. She locked eyes with the silver-haired Riku and automatically recognized him as the patient she had previously stitched - though she decided not to mention it. She glanced back at the boy on the stretcher, who let out a soft groan as he was sharply lifted into the ambulance.

“Well… What can you tell me?” She turned away from the deteriorating boy and glanced down at the clipboard she had hugged to her chest.

“Wh-What do you need to know?” Riku spoke, his voice still slightly broken from the lingering emotion.

Aerith’s heart ached. She had to remind herself that these were just kids. Barely out of high school, probably. The kid in the ambulance had next to no foreseeable chance of making it to graduation, even. He had regained consciousness which was a good sign, but his disorientation and his disposition proved his case not very promising.

Still, Aerith swallowed her fear and began to quickly ask her questions - she could already hear the medics making their final sweep for any other victims on the scene.

“How old is he?”

Riku spoke, his hand still tightly wrapped about Kairi’s. “17. He turns 18 in a couple of weeks, though.”

Aerith’s head bobbed. She scribbled across the clipboard. 

“Can you tell me where he was seated at the time of the crash?”

“Backseat. Behind the passenger…” Kairi spoke this time, “...I th-think he received most of the impact.”

“Does he have any underlying illnesses, allergies, or diseases we should be aware of?”

Kairi. “Aside from a peanut allergy, no.”

“Does he have any family? Any relatives for us to contact?”

Riku and Kairi exchanged glances. Riku responded, “Alive? No.”

Aerith paused. She felt her heart sink to her stomach at this revelation. This poor boy had no biological family. He was orphaned. There was a sudden call from the dark-haired medic that she had spoken to earlier - Zach. She turned.

“Aerith, we gotta go. This kid is slipping and fast!” He stated quickly, jumping down from the back of the ambulance. 

“C-Coming!” Aerith slipped her pen back into her pocket and began to quickly make her way onto the vehicle. 

Riku and Kairi trailed behind her. Riku hopped right onto the ambulance and sat down beside the stretcher within. Kairi propped a foot up to the vehicle but was interrupted when she felt someone grab her wrist. She turned back, locking eyes with the medic again.

“Miss, please tell me.” She spoke with a sincerity that most medics would never dream of showing while on a scene like this one, “Does he have any custodian or any guardian we can contact about this situation?"

Kairi ignored the quiet cry that escaped from the lips of the boy on the stretcher. Her heart throbbed. She looked up at Aerith with a tear-filled gaze, and slowly shook her head.

“Ma’am, I-I’m sorry.” She sullenly responded, her voice catching in her throat for a moment before she spoke again, “...We’re all he’s got.”

At that very moment, the engine of the ambulance finally roared to life. Aerith looked up, seeing the flashing lights that sat at the top of the vehicle. Kairi pulled away and jumped onto the ambulance, sitting close to Riku and even closer to the mangled Sora. 

Aerith locked eyes with Kairi and Riku one more time right as two other medics closed the metal doors. She took in a deep breath before jumping into the passenger seat of the ambulance.

 _My god…_ She had one final thought as the ambulance pulled away and the sirens began to wail overhead, _...These poor kids…_

As the ambulance pulled from the scene, Riku looked out from the tinted windows. He could just barely see the shapes of the three girls who had been there with them. They were all just as concerned about Sora as he and Kairi. They all wanted answers.

If only Riku could give it to them.

There was another sudden breathy wince from behind him, and Riku turned back to see Kairi lightly shushing Sora as she gently ran her fingers through his hair. Tears glistened in her eyes as she spoke - but she hated to see Sora in so much pain and agony.

“Sora, it’s gonna be okay.” She gently told him, her fingers grazing the top of his head, “E-Everything’s going to be okay. I promise.”

There was no response from Sora. Riku turned his body back toward him and placed a gentle, yet firm hand on his forearm. 

“Th-the doctors are gonna take good care of you.” He said, his voice trembling with every breath he took, “And Kairi and I-we’re gonna be right here with you. You’ve gotta believe that.”

Sora’s dull gaze trailed slowly from one friend to the other. He stared blankly into nowhere, his vision beginning to flicker. His mouth gaped open - he wanted to speak, but his voice had become deathly still. His eyebrows furrowed as fearful tears clouded his gaze. All his senses had become numb as the world began to slowly fade from around him. He felt someone slide their hand into his. His breath hitched. The grip was just barely strong enough to awaken him from his stupor if only for a moment. His eyes flickered open again, his head continuing to swim.

“Sora…” Kairi whispered again, “J-Just hang on. Hang on for us, o-okay? Please...”

Sora offered no response. If anything, he continued to falter. He could see her lips move, but he couldn’t hear her words. His head had begun to pound mercilessly as he struggled to maintain focus. His bloodshot gaze had grown glassy. The corners of his vision became fogged with a dense, black hue. He tried to speak again, but nothing came out. His eyes fell low, his vision now interrupted entirely by his fearful tears. He could feel the world slip from around him. He sensed some sort of subtle movement from a small pool of shadow in the corner of the moving ambulance and he looked in that direction, his bloodshot eyes widening.

He watched as a young figure stepped forward from the shadow, his form glistening dimly against the dreary darkness. Sora felt his head throb again as he tried to look upon his face - only to see it shrouded in some sort of white and silver fog. His breath hitched fearfully as the figure walked towards him. He felt another touch and could hear another distant strand of words. His eyes trailed from the youthful figure and met the tearful gaze of the young girl that had been speaking to him since. Kairi felt her heart throb in her throat. She could see the shadowy cloud of death glisten in his tired, glazed eyes. She squeezed his hand again, placing a firm kiss on the back of it.

“S-Sora, it’s okay.” She repeated, biting her bottom lip, “We’re right here. We have you, it’s o-okay.”

The faceless silver-haired phantom rested a gentle hand on Sora’s other arm, prompting a slight, fearful squeak from the boy. There was a quiet, soothing hush drifted into Sora’s ringing ears and he tensed up. It was haunting, but soothing at the same time. His eyes trailed over to the phantom again, who seemed to look at him with a slight smile on his bright face.

Sora’s harbored breathing suddenly slowed as abrupt drowsiness overtook his whole body. He let out a trembling breath, his exhale rattling painfully in his throat. He let out an unwilling whimper as his eyes fell low. A subtle warmth branched from the ghost’s touch and spread through his whole aching body.

He opened his mouth to speak, but not a single word came out. A tear cascaded down the side of his face. Kairi, now also on the verge of tears, reached up and gently wiped it away. Riku brought an arm around Kairi’s shoulders, his melancholy gaze never leaving his frightened friend. His lips moved again, but Sora couldn’t hear what he said. Instead, the soundless voice of the apparition continued to drown all other things - sounds, pain, feeling, sensation, fear - out. 

_"Rest now, child of light.”_

And Sora finally let his heavy eyes slide closed as he sank into the dense cloud of unconsciousness that smothered his brain entirely.


End file.
